On a question of Brown, Douglas, and Fillmore (Q2381954)

Let \(H\) be a separable complex Hilbert space and let \(\mathcal B(H)\), \(\mathcal K(H)\) and \((EN)(H)\) denote, respectively, the set of all bounded, all compact and all essentially normal operators on \(H\). For \(X\subset C\) and \(p\geq1\), denote by \(E_p(X)\) the set of unitary equivalence classes modulo the Schatten ideal \(C_p\) of operators with commutator \([T^*,T]\in C_p\). Let \(\mathcal E(X)\) be the set of all operators \(T\) such that \(T\) acts on one of the spaces \(H^{(n)}=H\oplus\dots\oplus H\) (\(n\) times), \(n\geq 1\), and \(T\in (EN)(H_T)\). Let \(\text{Ext}(X)\) be the collection of equivalence classes into which \(\mathcal E(X)\) is partitioned by the relation of unitary equivalence modulo \(\mathcal K(H)\). \(T_1,T_2\in E_p(X)\) are called stably equivalent in \(\widetilde E_p(X)\) if there exist normal operators \(N_1\) and \(N_2\) with essential spectra \(X\) such that \(T_1\oplus N_1\) is unitarily equivalent to some \(C_p\) perturbation of \(T_2\oplus N_2\). The main result of the paper under review is a negative answer to a question posed by \textit{L.\,Brown, R.\,G.\thinspace Douglas} and \textit{P.\,Fillmore} [Lect.\ Notes Math.\ 345, 58--128 (1973; Zbl 0277.46053)]: Is the natural map \(J\:\widetilde E_p(X)\to\text{Ext}(X)\) injective?